Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-05-06
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TRAMP's STORY

THE TRAMP's STORY.
Let us gather up the tangled and broken
threads and put them together again. We
have not much else left to do now.
Rip was buried upon the hill, with the Car
stones. Shirley and Brownie would have it
SO. Not one of that brave old race was ever
laid more tenderly to rest, either, than the
name.ess one.
They found his dead fingers clasped about
something beneath the breast Of his ragged
coat. 1t was small black wallet, carefully
fastened around his neck by strong cord. 1t
was not opened, but put aside for the time,
and poor Rip was neatly dressed and buried
upon the hill.
Brownie grieved greatly about his death.
at was all my folly" she said. ~ wanted
to see the place where we picnicked that
autumn day, just for old times sake, Robert.
l slipped out there early in the morning. J
forgot all about the new railroad that crosse
there, though was walking upon the track.
I can never forgive myself. Poor Ripi to
die in that awful way, and was the cause
of it."
II don't wonder it seems terrible thing to
you, Brownie" said her husband. "The
worst for me is when think how frightfully
near it came to being you. That makes me
turn cold. But, Shirley, l wonder what
crazy whim got into the poor fellows head
that l was his brother-there when he was
dying, you know"
"Robert," answered Shirley, at is time now
to open that black silk bag he wore about his
neck. have kept it. I wish you to look
into it first"
She put it into his hand. The wallet con.
tanned dingy yellow leather note book, care
fully protected from damp. There was some
thing else, too, tied by black ribbon. A
sudden exclamation broke from Edgerlys
lips.
"Why, Brownie" said he, "here is your
forget-me-not ring, my mothers ring, that
put upon your finger the day we were en-
gagged. What could have possessed tho poor
devil to keep that"
Brownie clasped the precious ring with de-
light, looked at 1t tondly ana passed 1t TO
Shirley.
isn't it a quaint, pretty thing" said she.
"There's an inscription in it," said Shirley
"Yes," said Robert my mother never
would tell me what it meant. I've asked her
many time 1t is the only thing l never
could coax her to tell me-"
Shirley read it and started to her feet.
Read, only read Rips papersl" said she
medley. The spelling was as original as the
ideas and sentences were. Preparing it had
been the labor of years. The poor soul had
built it slowly and painfully, Il little at a
time, as ono might dig his way out through
dungeon walls with his hands Rips literary
accomplishments had been IA matter of prids
to him. The book was half diary, half moral
and mental philosophy, from vagabond's
view. In it he gave such history of himself
as he knew, Enthusiastically laid down. All
through ran vein of belief that he had been
born to better things.
Such parts of the strange conglomerate as
belong to this history will be laid before the
reader. Not always, however, in the original
spelling. That would cause it to be mistaken
for the jokes of some great American humor-
ist. 1t began as follows:
JOURNAL OF A TRAMP.
~ don't know where was born don't
know whose son am. There amt anything
do know mulch about Il always knowed
that word ought to be spelled mutch, but
somehow often find myself writing it much.
But l asked Brownie Carstone, and she says
yes it is mutch.)"
~ remember that well, J." said Brownie "Its
been hundred years ago, and l thought it
was such fun to tell him wrong. Poor old
Rip"
The tramps journal went on
"Mol is the first / remember. There was
something else, but I've give that up. Ireckon
dreampt it, about heaven and the angels
But l know I've got good blood in me, any
how"
The part of the history the reader is famil-
lar with is here skipped. We take up Rips
story again at this point:
81 found old Mol again in Chesterton. I
knew her by her one eye and her caved in
nose. Her husband give her that. She says
his name was Slugger. Mol keeps house
She hides goods that comes down chimney
to her unbeknownst."
Then followed record of aimless wander
ings not a few, Sometimes, as long as a
month or two this outcast of humanity would
settle down and work like civilized man.
Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, the
vagabond spirit came upon hin again, and
he would up and away like a gypsy, record
ing simply in his journal that, on such date,
~ took notion to go on the tramp"
Here is something that will interest the
reader:
81 took a lot of jewelry to Mol to keep safe.
Mol looked over the swag. Among the bits
of brass and things was n curious lookin' blue
ring. No sooner had old Moll got her eyes
on that than she took fit. She grabbed my
and says she:
rip, where'd you get thatP
Says /, it's none O. your blessed business
"'Oh, very WELL says she, with her back
up like, may be knows things to your adj
vantage, and may be l don't. May be I've
seen that ring afore, and may be l hal =.
May be you and that ring belonged together